


Sleep

by Winter_Lazuli



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cross-Posted on FictionPress, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 09:06:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21335719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winter_Lazuli/pseuds/Winter_Lazuli
Summary: A little girl in the hospital refuses to go to sleep. She's got a reason for it. Possible TW for anyone who has been in the situation of having to say goodbye too early. Please be advised.





	Sleep

"Mommy, I don't wanna go to sleep."

The young girl sitting in the bed crossed her arms defiantly, looking at her mother with all the intent she had to stay awake. The mother, in turn, looked at her child, sensing something was wrong.

"Why don't you want to sleep, sweetie?"

"Because I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"I'm scared that if I go to sleep I won't wake up again. I don't wanna sleep forever. I don't wanna leave you, and Daddy, and Bobby behind."

Understanding what her daughter was saying, the mother hugged her and rubbed her back. "Sweetie, I understand what you mean. Mommy's scared that you will fall asleep and not wake up again too. But it's a part of life. It happens to everyone. It seems scary, yes, but it doesn't hurt. Do you remember the show we watched last night? The one about the woman and the wounded police officer?"

The child nodded her head. "Yes Mommy."

"She was scared too, right?"

The girl only nodded again.

"In the end, it didn't hurt her, right? It was very gentle, and she was happy, right?"

Another nod.

"No one knows for sure what follows after, sweetie. But we don't have to be afraid. It will all be okay."

"But what about you? And Daddy and Bobby?"

"Mommy, Daddy, and Bobby will be sad if you don't wake up again, but we will be okay. You don't need to worry about us. We won't be okay right away, but it's part of what happens. What I'm saying, sweetie, is that you don't have to be afraid. Everything will be okay."

The little girl hugged her mother, and her mother watched as she lay down and closed her eyes with a smile on her face, to the rhythmic, mechanical beeping nearby as her lullaby that turned into a long, solitary note as she finally fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for sticking to the end of this story, and double thank you for reading this author's note! I hope you enjoyed this story. If there's anything you think I can improve on, please feel free to leave a review! I initially wrote this as an assignment, and since I liked the reaction I got, I figured to post it.
> 
> If you're the kind of person who likes to listen to background music as you read, I recommend "Kami Kabuto Hero" from Laura Shigihara's "Rakuen." It was the inspiration for this story. And yes, there's a reference to "The Twilight Zone" in there.
> 
> Once again, thank you for reading this author's note, and I hope you enjoyed this story!


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